Adventures in Trick or Treating
by WildHorseFantasy
Summary: When Neal agrees to take Samantha trick or treating, a night of fun, fear and mischief ensues.


_Disclaimer: I don't own or profit off White Collar, I just daydream in their world._

* * *

"It just had to be on Halloween. Samantha has been so looking forward to going out. She was trick or treating for charity." June looked disturbed. "Now both her parents and I will be busy and Cindy is out of town."

"Not to be gruesome or anything, but there is a certain irony, having a funeral on Halloween." Neal observed. "I'll take her trick or treating."

June studied him. "Oh Neal, are you sure? You'll be working that day and the next one too."

Neal shrugged. "I don't mind. I'm used to staying up. Anyway, she's got school too, right?"

"I'll talk to her and her parents."

As it was, Samantha was delighted. "You'll need a costume. We should match."

Neal's eyes widened a bit. "Oh." He considered this doubtfully "What are you going as?"

"I was going as a princess...I know! I'll be Maid Marian and you could be Robin Hood."

June's lips twitched into half grin. "Of course."

Neal frowned, glancing warily between them. "Well, I don't do tights."

"That's okay. Most modern Robin Hoods dress like knights."

"Ah. Chain mail."

"This should be interesting."

Halloween saw ghosts, goblins and famous movie characters wandering the streets and neighborhoods of New York.

June saw them off as she was leaving for the funeral. She looked concerned. "Be careful." She gave Neal a calm look. She was entrusting him with her granddaughter.

"We will Grandma June." Samantha looked determined. She had a bag over her shoulder with some wadded paper in it to add bulk, but also a small box with a charity label on the front. She was dressed in a green and maroon medieval dress. She wore a bright reflective tiara.

Neal nodded, dressed in a fake chain mail breastplate, cloak, bag, boots and trousers in greens and browns. He also had a fake bow, arrow quiver and sword. The sword was plastic but he'd sprayed it silver to improve the shine.

June smiled knowingly. If she knew Neal, he would protect Samantha but he'd also make sure they were in for a fun evening.

Strolling the streets they joined crowds of kids knocking on the doors of the large houses. Some were in excellent repair, some not so much. Samantha's winning smile and announcement she was trick or treating for charity won her plenty of donations. In and out of the crowds, Samantha collected her prizes. They jumped in alarm as people dressed as monsters leaped out of the shadows of buildings with fake tombstones. Giant fake cobwebs and spiders bounced around them. Lit jack o lanterns invited them to dare to approach houses. A cool damp breeze promised rain later.

With the tight connections between New York houses though, it could be hard to tell what started where and where to stop. Not surprisingly, they found themselves running into less than friendly people. Neal was an expert at keeping an eye out for trouble. Being a professional con artist and thief in New York had taught him to watch out for the pickpockets now running free amongst the costumed kids. It was hard even for him though to tell when screams of mock fright were due to real danger or just shock at the sudden ghostly shapes looming up.

"Trick or treat for charity!" Samantha held her box out at yet another door and was rewarded with money.

But another door the woman huffed in disgust. "I only have candy, not money." And threw the treat at her." Her eyes were glassy and she reeked of some kind of less than legal smoke.

Samantha ducked. Neal pulled her back and stepped between her and the slamming door.

"Would you mind looking away for a minute?" He asked, giving her a mischievous look.

"Why?"

"So you can honestly say you saw nothing. Certainly not any tricks."

Samantha fought a smile as she looked away, peering at the surrounding houses for her next target. "Okay."

Neal pulled out a stencil and spray paint from the bag over his shoulder. He sprayed a quick ugly face on the door. Then he quickly stuffed it away and hurried back to Samantha.

They hustled off, hitting another house. This one made up for the last by donating not only a decent amount of money but gave her a treat as well.

The next place was amazing. It was a full scale haunted house and they went completely through. Samantha squealed and shrieked at all the right places. She jumped back from a bat that flew right at her. She dodged a ghost knight swinging a fake axe. Neal's eyes were virtually popping out of his head. He was trying to stay one hundred percent alert for real threats, for he knew there were some out tonight. Neal had his fake sword out and swung it lightly a few times, when people veered to close.

The house they crept up on left was decrepit and Neal eyed it with some doubt. His blue eyes flared nervously. The cobwebs were real. His blue eyes narrowed. A dog was barking nearby with fury. It was dark and Neal could see it jumping at the chain link fence next door. Neal made a conscious decision to avoid that one.

Samantha was already approaching the door. Frowning, Neal hurried after. Samantha knocked. There were definitely lights on. She knocked again. The door slammed open so suddenly they leaped back. The man was clad in underwear, reeked of booze and holding a baseball bat. The TV blared through the door, the light flickering. "Blasted kids, ...not wasting money on you...get out! Or I'll pound you!" He wavered unsteadily. Neal grabbed Samantha and yanked her back.

"Hey, take it easy!" His eyes flicked passed the man to the living room table, which had conspicuous signs of drug use and alcohol scattered on it.

The man glared at him, stalked forward a step. "Ringing my door, banging on my head..."

Neal retreated backward, not taking his eyes off the man. Samantha's footsteps pounded away back to the road. Then they stopped, waiting for him. He hastily backpedaled all the way up to the road. The man fell over some pieces of junk, which was only a dark shape on the sidewalk. Neal and Samantha hurried on. She hesitated at the next house, but then she heard the dog snarling on the other side of the gate.

"Let's skip that one. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. And I agree. You think he's okay?"

"The guy?"

"The dog. If he lives next to that guy, he probably has good reason to be mad."

"Good point. I hope so." Neal paused.

"That guy deserves an ugly face on the door."

"He does." Neal glanced at her. "Not that you saw anyone put one on any doors." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Nope." She smiled.

"And if you had, that person would not be crazy enough to spray a guy wielding a baseball bat, in fact..." He looked back with some alarm as he noticed another group of kids going up the walk to the man's house.

Samantha looked worried too. "Should we go back? Should we warn them?"

Neal pulled his phone out of it's hiding place. "I'm going to call in an anonymous tip."

Neal was trying to get through on the phone when screams and running footsteps sent the kids flying up the path again. He bounced impatiently as he was put on hold.

"What's taking so long?"

"Halloween. Lot of pranksters out there. The cops are getting a lot of calls...Hello? There's a guy here threatening kids who knock on the door..."

"Okay. That's done. You up to continue? Or do you want to go back?"

"I don't want to let that guy scare me into quitting. Besides, it's for charity."

"Okay then." They continued on their way. Samantha was more subdued but her attitude picked up with each successful approach. Neal's adrenaline was spiked now and any house he was suspicious of they skipped. They reached the end of Neal's radius, as evidenced by the sudden beeping of his anklet. He rolled his eyes in irritation.

"I guess we have to go back now." Samantha said.

"Aren't you tired yet?"

"Nope. Got my second wind. Anyway, I hate to go back over the same ground we already covered. Can we take a different way?"

"Me too." Neal considered his directions. He had, unconsciously, been heading them in the general direction of Peter's house. "You know what? We could head for Peter's house. As long as I stick to the allowed route..."

"And we can trick or treat at more houses!"

"Yes. And we can either call a cab or bum a ride off Peter."

Samantha's box was overflowing and she was forced to use the bag by the time they reached Peter's house. Neal strolled up to the darkened door, admiring the jack o lantern on the front step and arranged autumn leaf streamer twined around the rail. A scarecrow hung on the front door. He had no doubt it was Elizabeth's doing.

Samantha knocked.

"OOOOOOH"

Samantha and Neal looked at each other. "What's that?" The girl asked. "If it's a ghost its...weird."

Neal stepped down and aside at the sound of footsteps inside the door. "I wonder if..."

The door opened and Samantha hit Peter up with her best 'trick or treat for charity."

Peter did a double take. "Samantha? Who are you supposed to be?"

"Maid Marian."

"Did you walk here? Alone?"

"Wooooooooh!"

"Of course not! I'm with Robin Hood!"

"I guess that means you haven't been watching my tracking anklet data tonight." Neal stepped out of the shadows.

Peter started. "Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor? That fits you. Except when you've forgotten the second part."

Now Neal noticed that he looked a bit haggard. "Very funny. What is that noise?"

"Wooooh!"

"Come on in. I did plan to keep an eye on you, but I have been way too busy to watch your data."

Neal and Samantha followed him in. The noise was worse. Now Neal noticed the cardboard taped over a patch in the window.

"It's Satch. He's been freaked out since that kid in the giant cat costume showed up."

Samantha giggled. "Bugsy would try and chase the kid."

"Hard to picture laid back Satchmo that upset. Where's Elizabeth?" Neal peered into the kitchen. "Satch?"

Satch cowered away, whimpering.

"It's just me, Satchmo!" He held out his hand. Cautiously Satchmo smelled it. He relaxed a little only to have his hair raise again at another knock on the door. More trick or treats followed. Peter shut the door behind them. "Elizabeth had a catering event tonight."

"Oh. Lucky her."

The door opened again, this time without a knock. "Honey, what happened to the window?"

"I didn't hear the knocking so someone decided to get my attention with a rock."

"Honestly...oh hi, Neal, Samantha...care for some Halloween leftovers? You could take them home..."

"Absolutely!" Neal said and Samantha nodded enthusiastically.

"Ooooh!"

"Satchmo? Has he been like that since I left?"

"Very nearly."

"Are you going to give Samantha and Neal a ride? It's starting to rain and it's chilly. They probably shouldn't be walking in it."

Neal and Samantha gave Peter a wide eyed smile.

"Uh, I guess so..." Another knock.

Peter answered the door. More trick or treats. More knocks. "I'm not even sure these are all kids...oh, wait a minute! Come back here! Mozzie!"

"Darn it! How did you...know...I need to improve my disguises." Mozzie came in the door. He wore a hat, sunglasses and long coat, with a gigantic mustache. He was carrying a sack.

"Hi Moz." Neal said.

"Hi."

Peter stared at him. "Mozzie, aren't you a little old for trick or treating?"  
"You must be joking. "The only day you can legally extort people and you think I'd stay out of it?"

Peter looked warily at him, as the smaller man plunked the bag on the dining room table. Mozzie blushed as it clunked.

Neal peered into the open end of the bag. He didn't remark on the items that were definitely not candy. He suspected someone had been picking pockets. He frowned. Was that a candy ring? And a statuette? "Peter was just going to give us a lift home."  
"I shall stay here and guard Mrs. Suit."

"That's loud candy. Protect her from what?"

"Jawbreakers." Mozzie said innocently. "And from whatever attacked your window."

"OOOH."

Mozzie's eyes widened. "And maybe that...or..."

"You know what, go ahead." Peter said, hustling out the door and motioning to Neal.

Elizabeth handed him and Samantha each a container of leftover cookies. They hurried after Peter. It was raining and they hurried to duck into the car. Neal had to maneuver his faux weapons out of the way.

Peter had the car running, the heater and lights on, the windshield wipers going. But he was sitting with his eyes shut.

"Uh, Peter?"

"Oh, blissful silence."

"That bad huh?"

"It's like I've been stuck with a real ghost all evening."

"You should've tried earplugs." Samantha said, helpfully.

"I did. That's when the rock flew in the window. I couldn't hear the knocking."  
"You got tricked!"

"Yes."

"Anti anxiety meds." Neal suggested.

"For me? I don't need meds. Usually."

"For Satchmo."

"I'll put that on the calendar for next year." Peter set the car in drive and pulled out into the rainy streets.

Not only was the traffic bad due to rain, but it was crowded with Halloween party goers. In spite of the rain, they passed more and more adults in costume. Clowns, jedi, aliens, vampires, monsters and assorted bizarre creatures were in the sidewalks, crosswalks and surrounding vehicles. They passed a car with people hanging out the windows, waving and throwing things. Something green landed on the windshield with a loud glop. Peter wobbled, trying to see around the goop. The wipers smeared the green and only with massive hits of soap spray and rain did the stuff clear enough for him to see.

"We've been slimed!" Neal blinked.

"Oh for..." Peter scowled. "What is this stuff? They're going to cause an accident! Anyone get their license?"

"All I got was a glimpse of a black car and a skeleton."

"There was a lady in white in back." Samantha piped up.

"Now I think about it, I think that was Marilyn Monroe."

Finally, they pulled up in front of the June's house. Neal and Samantha went straight in.

June looked up immediately. "There you are. Did you have fun? How did you do? I'm surprised I beat you back."

"We made it all the way to Agent Burke's house. Look at all the donations I got!"

"That's wonderful!" She looked at Samantha and then up at Neal. "Long walk?"

"Very long."

"And Agent Burke's dog was scared of a cat costume and sounds like a ghost when he's scared. And there was this crazy guy who answered the door with a bat." She paused in thought. "Oh, I mean, the baseball kind, not the vampire kind."

June looked alarmed and glanced up at Neal.

"I called in an anonymous tip on that one. " Neal sighed. "Drunk. If he doesn't like Halloween he could just turn off the lights, not go psycho."

"And Agent Burke's car got slimed."

Peter came in, shaking his head.  
"I can't get it off."

"Come on up and I'll see if I have any supplies to take it off."

Neal hurried up the steps. Peter followed.

"Okay, there might be something in the art solvents..."

Neal vanished into the bathroom, quickly changing out of his damp Robin Hood costume.

He came back out and sighed. "That's better. That fake chain stuff was started to get heavy..." He blinked and was torn between frowning and smiling.

Peter was on the couch, flaked out and judging from his breathing, sound asleep. While Neal wasn't thrilled that Peter was on the nice couch in damp jeans, he did find it amusing. Apparently hiking miles around the city and trick or treating, was a good deal less exhausting than sitting answering the door for the trick or treaters and listening to the howling dog.

Neal considered calling it quits. Tired as he was, he decided to give Peter a break. He grabbed some of his art cleaners and a rag and went outside to attack the windshield of the Peter's car. When Peter finally woke and went to leave he found the rest of the house asleep. He went back to his car and smiled. The windshield was cleaned off. And an origami scarecrow with jack o lantern head sat on the steering wheel with a note. "Thanks for the lift. Happy Halloween." - N

**Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!**


End file.
